The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1887-11-23

Stillwater Minr. Wednesday, Nov. 49, 1897

saying when he who has violated the law
is ready to take his place again in the
world. rested with some one who knew the
history of the convict, the causes that lead
to the commission of the crime. his tenden-
cies toward crime, the condition of his
mind. and the probabilities of his leading a
criminal life-then would the premium of
reform be in accord with the object OF impriS-
onment. One man would not be leaving
prison feeling he had paid the debt he owed
society, and that he had purchased his
license to pursue a criminal course, while
all other would be sacrificing his energies.
his life perhaps, serving sentence OF
years, when he would gladly enter the
peaceful walks of life. and make restitu-
ton for the wrong he had committed.
The question of the responsibility of such
an office at once presents itself. but it is a
responsibility which may be well defined,
one where ample opportunity may be given
for acting on the merits Of each case,
which cannot be done under the present
system. We have only spoken of some of
the duties and obligations of such an office.
There are many ways in which 1t could be
made to perform important services to So
ciety. Those occupying it could employ the
best means for securing the reformation of
those imprisoned, and protect those who
were liberated by securing employment for
them according to their physical AID NEIL
tai abilities. They could protect those who
were arrested from malicious motives, wo-
men and children arrested on frivolous
charges. and in fact be an actual safeguard
and protection to all persons with whom the
criminal law is dealing. Neither the officer
who makes the arrest. the police Judge or
justice who binds the accused over, the
grand jury that indicts him. the sheriff
who has charge of him, the attorney who
prOsecutes him. the judge before whom he
is tried, convicted and sentenced, the warden
who receives him at the penitentiary. nor
the officers in whose charge he is afterward
received, are competent to say whether man
is criminal. All of these play their part in
the drama, as it is prescribed by law. but
that law does not require any OF these TO
GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WELL FOR
THE TRUTH. But the law does offer a re-
ward for the detection and conviction of
men, which makes it a question of dollars
and cents to the officers who have most to
do with conviction.
1t would seem at first glance that the
difficulty of learning the actual moral con-
ditiOn of man in prison, could never be
overcome. but the difficulty is chiefly imag-
mary. Every convict knows the moral
standing and criminal education of those
with whom he comes in contact. and why
could not means be instituted whereby
others could know it? The guard who has
charge OF shop could give very fair
analysis of the men over whom he is placed,
if he is an observer. and how much more
could all officer learn whose duty and busi-
ness it was to learn all he could of an in
mate? These facts are simply given to
show it is not impossible to learn who and
what man is if he is in prison.
And now a word in regard to the third
class of our division of cOnvicts, given in
the last article on this subject, viz: The
actual criminal from education and natural
inclination. What could such retorma-
ton OF the prison system. as we have sug-
gested. do for him? 1t could reform him
or it could keep him in prison. The class
is not numerous one. Men of this class
steal because they are unScrupulOuS, and
prefer taking their chances of being caught,
to working. Ii they knew they would
have to stay in prison until they had given
satisfactory evidence that they would not
follow their old habits. the difficulty of Civ
ing such evidence would strike them, if
they have criminal record. and they would
not be SO apt to violate the law. And
when once in prison they would see the
necessity OF reformation and endeavOr to
do right in order to gain their liberty, and
i'll nine cases out of ten. of this class-the
most dreaded and feared by society-if an
opportunity was given them to follow some
useful avOcatiOn, they would grasp it and
live honorable lives. This statement will
only be denied by those who know nothing